Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-25
KENTUCKY,s VIOLIN QUEEN.
Marvellous Achievements of the
Daughter of Basil Duke.

!
Daughter of Basil Duke.
! From the Neto York Star,
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.S-Fhe debut
here of Miss Duke In society and as an
artist has created very marked sensa-
ton. Miss Duke is the daughter of one
otthe most distinguished general officers
ofthe Confederate cavalry service, who
was regarded throughout the army as the
right hand and brains of Gen. John Nor
CAMS command. Since the war he has
achieved distinction as brilliant lawyer
at the Louisville bar. Gen. Duke mar
ried Miss Morgan, who was one of the
handsomest women OF her day, and a
| great belle in Washington the winter be-
| tore the civil war broke out. Her brother,
MaJ. Charlton Morgan, married Miss
howard, OF Baltimore, a niece OF Mrs.
George ii. Pendleton, the late wife Of the
present Minister to Germany.
Ever since she was little child Miss
Duke has shown q passionate fondness
for music, and her father wisely deter
mined to let her follow the bent of her
talent and spared no effort to give her the
| advantages to be derived from the very
| best masters in this country. With the
pluck and courage peculiar to the Dukes
and Morgans this brave young girl began
| 70 attack the tremendous difficulties Incl
dent to the work of mastering the violin.
She has devoted herself to art and has
already accomplished wonders. Her.
touch Is singularly sympathetic and full
OF passion and delicaoy. There is strength
and power, combined with great smooth
ness, accuracy and finish. Her PLAYING
10 that of man in her command OF the
| instrument, wnIe there runs throughout
1t all the tenderness and sweetness of
woman's dainty hand. | was charmed
with the beautiful manner in winch her
phrasing is done. The notes are bound
and woven together in all of the weird
network Of harmony, while her melodies
stand out from the canvas of instru.
mentation, living, burning with n subtle
and appealing pathos, and expression
| quite wonderful in the playing of 50
| young an artist.
''Standing with reluctant feet" upon
| the threshold of wOmanhoOd, her young
| heart as yet as calm as lily upon
| mountain lake, one would hardly look for
more than some girlsh scope of feeling In
her greatest effort in expression. not 30
with this gifted young girl. Genius does
not require the experience, bitter or
| sweet, to draw it's inspiration from in Or
| der to reproduce the "counterteit pre-
| sentiment" of feeling. Genius has but to
| put it's heart IN o its work to make it glow
with life and tremble with passion. 1t
| holds in its hands the very keys OF all OF
the mysterious springs OF human feeling,
and can play upon US all at viii. With
! its magic ana marvellous wand it can Stir
our very hearts within us, move rs to
tears or laughter, make us tremble with
| ecstacy or ache with suppressed passion
| by the eloquence of its music.
| From the moment this young artist be-
gins until she finishes she is IN another
wOrd-the world OF art-and is as msen-
| sible to everything about her as nun at
her prayers. At the end she awakens. as
it were. from a trance or dream, and her
face sis as the face Of an angel" radiant
still with the heavenly light of genius
communing with the divine art.
In person Miss Duke might sit for a
picture OF st. Cecilia. Fancy a slight
girlish figure slender and lissome, a
small wineome and wistful little face,
delicately chiseled features, with great
| pair of large dark brown eyes, like a
tawn's-full of softness and brightness.
with long ashes. eyes with a childish
look Of wonder and innocence III them,
that glow with the fire OF her race of
soldiers and soften with the inherited
wealth of Womanly sympathy. Then her
manner, why, it is the perfection Of
maldenly dignity and reserve. There is
! an entire absence OF self-cOnsciousnes
! about her.
I heard her plav before large drawing
| room full OF the most distinguished
! people in the country. She began mod
estly, hut ere she had played halt dozen
| bars the audience stood spell0ouEd, and
before she finished their hearts were in
| their mouths. Senators, Generals, Adj
mirals, Cabinet Ministers, great diplo-
mats and great cOnnOisseurs, who have
heard the best artlsts OF Europe, tlOcked
about this shy little queen OF the violin
and overwhelmed her with compliments,
appreciative praise and the warmest ap-
piause. | don't think ever Witnessed Il
greater triumph or more spontaneous
HOMAGE to merit.
There 10 one problem Miss Duke has
very successfully solved here. and that is
that Southern geDtleWCman can devote
herself to art and make profession and
career for herself in it without the slight
est loss of caste, position or prestige.
southern standards are peculiar and indi-
Vldual in these matters. Their code is
that a gentleman or lady can do any,
thing that is honorable as a means of
livelihood and not lose one iOta of social
STATUS. Character. antecedents, belong
ings, record are what is looked to.
The members or old and famous fami-
lies, whose deeds form part of the his
tory of their State and country, who are
connected with or related to the best peO-
pie in the States, who have furnished
great soldiers, great lawyers, judges, Ill
vines aud scholars, and are thoroughly
identified with their people and about
whom there is no sort OF mystery as TO
what manner of folk they are and have
always been, can excel in art as they
have excelled in other things and can
win fame as they have won renown be-
fore.
WE'RE THE PAINTINGS STOLEN?